It must have seemed to the Pharisees and the priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem that John the Baptist was being deliberately vague and uncommunicativeโfor instead of coming right out and telling them who he was and what he was doing, he gave short, cryptic, or confusing answers to their questions.ย In fact, this approach helped build up suspense, giving his message about One more powerful than him coming after him that much more impact.ย A few years ago a pastor taking a flight home from vacation ended up using the same technique.ย He was seated next to a well-dressed businessman reading the Wall Street Journal.ย Because he felt embarrassed at being casually dressed, the pastor decided to avoid conversation, but the businessman introduced himself and began telling how he was a rising executive in a nationwide company, remarking, โWe are the fastest growing organization of our kind in the country.ย Itโs really good to be part of an organization like that, donโt you think?โย The pastor thought to himself, โThis man is proud of his work and accomplishments.ย Why canโt we Christians be like that?ย Why are we so often apologetic about our faith and our church?โ
When the businessman asked the inevitable question, โAnd what do you do?,โ the pastor decided to take the plunge.ย โIโm in the personality-changing business,โ he said; โmy organization applies basic theocratic principles to accomplish indigenous personality modifications.โย The businessman looked impressed, and said, โYou know, I think Iโve heard of that.ย Do you an office here in the city?โย โOh,โ responded the pastor, โwe have offices in every city, and in almost every countryโdo you have that?โย โWell, no, not yet,โ answered the businessman.ย โBut how is your company managed?โย The pastor explained, โItโs a family concern.ย Thereโs a Father and a Son, and they run everything.ย And the employees?ย Thatโs really something to see.ย They have a โSpiritโ that pervades the organization.ย It works like this:ย the Father and the Son love each other so much that their love filters down through the entire organization, and we find ourselves loving one another too.ย In fact, I know people in the organization willing to die for me.ย Do you have that in your company?โย The businessman shifted uncomfortably in his seat, and trying to change the subject, said, โUm, no, but do you have good benefits?โย โOh, yes,โ said the pastor, โand theyโre substantialโlife insurance, fire insurance, and even holdings in a mansion thatโs being built for me right now for my retirement.ย Do you have that?โย โNo,โ the businessman admitted, and then remarked, โOne thing bothers me about what youโre sayingโIโve read all the journals, and if your business is everything you say it is, why havenโt I heard about it before now?โย โThatโs a good question,โ the pastor said, โfor we have a 2000 year tradition.โย ย โWait a minute!โ the businessman exclaimed, and the pastor interrupted, saying with a smile, โYouโre rightโIโm talking about the Church.โย The businessman answered, โI knew it!ย You know, Iโm Jewish,โ to which the pastor responded, โSo, are you ready to sign up?โย (Swindollโs Ultimate Book Of Illustrations & Quotes, p. 617).ย This is one of many possible approaches to evangelization.ย We donโt have to go up to people and ask directly โHave you been saved?,โ but we are supposed to share our faithโand if weโre willing to do this, God will give us the opportunities.
Good news really isnโt good news if we keep it to ourselvesโand this is especially true when it comes to the Good News of salvation.ย The Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Is 61:1-2, 10-11) foretells the mission of Jesus, for the passage says โThe Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor . . . to announce a year of favor from the Lord. . . .โย In some way, every follower of Jesus shares in this mission. St. Paul (1 Thes 5:16-24) tells us how to witness to the Gospel (Jn 1:6-8, 19-28). We must refrain from every type of evil; we must rejoice always, constantly give thanks, pray without ceasing, and be ever open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.ย In this way our example will have a powerful influence on others, and in this way, weโlike St. John the Baptistโwill be able to point others toward Jesus.
A woman driving through a little town at midday stopped at a small restaurant, only to find it locked, with a sign in the window saying, โOut for lunch; back in an hourโ (homily notebook, โWitnessโ).ย Naturally, the woman decided she was probably better off not dining there.ย If the owner of a restaurant doesnโt believe enough in his own cooking to eat lunch there, he isnโt going to attract many customers; in the same way, if Christians donโt believe in their faith enough to share it, the Church isnโt going to make many converts, and the Gospel isnโt going to have much of an impact on the world.ย We are all called to evangelize, and this is one of the things on which weโll be judged.ย Some of us are outgoing, and will talk about anythingโexcept religion; if so, we need to ask ourselves why that is, and whether, in the light of eternity, that attitude really makes sense.ย Some of us are quiet or shy, and canโt imagine ourselves talking about our faith, especially with people we donโt know well; if so, we have to remind ourselves that Jesus promises us that if weโre faithful to Him, the Holy Spirit will give us the right words to say.
If we truly love Jesus, weโll want to please Him by giving Him what He desires most: our loving service on behalf of the Gospel.ย For most of us, this does not mean a public ministry of evangelization, but simply a willingness to use whatever opportunities the Lord offers us.ย Standing up for what we believe, defending the Churchโs teachings when theyโre attacked, refusing to compromise our values or go along with the crowd on issues of morality, trying to be friendly and approachable, offering encouragement when we see someone struggling with a problem, inviting someone to come to or return to the Church, and being willing to talk about our faith in a low-key, non-threatening way when someone asks, are all important means of sharing the Gospel.ย We donโt necessarily have to use a clever marketing approach, like the pastor talking to the businessman, but we do have to bear simple and sincere witness to Jesus in our everyday encounters, while always asking the Lord to guide us in what to say and do. ย John the Baptist had a flair for the dramatic.ย Jesus isnโt asking that of us, but He does expect us to be clearly identifiable as His followers by the way we live, in this way testifying that He alone is the true light of the world.